Collapsible-tube holding and compressing device



192 1 618377 Feb 22 7 E. R. HAMIL'roN COLIsArSIBLE TUBE HOLDNrG-D COMPRESSING DEVICE Filed April 26. 1926 casing with internal means into of Fig. 1.

' proper v compressing operation,

Patented Feb; 2v2, 1927.

EABL'R. HAMILTON, 0F PEKIN, INDIANA.

coLnArsrBLn-'runn HOLDING AND comrnnssrne Dnvrcn.

Application filed April 26, 17926.

The invention relates to improvements in devices for holding and compressing collapsible tubes, such -as those in which various cpmmodities are marketed in paste form.

One object of the invention is to provide a tubular casing to contain a collapsible tube and to form this casing with novel means for engaging the tube to assist in holding it y in place. J

Another object is to provide novel means for'coinpressing the tube to -discharge its contents.

-The tube-compressing means, in the present disclosures includes a ball exposed through a slot in the tubular casing to be manipulated by the users thumb to compress the tube, and a further object is to provide a novel guard which prevents said ball from dropping out of the casing if the latter is inverted; said guard being movable to .an

inoperative position by engagement with said ball under force and being self-held in such position to permit removal of the ball and an emptied tube, insertion of a new tube, and re-insertion. of the ball.

A still further object is lto provide the engagement tube is forced under the thus establishing an anti-slipping connection between the tube and casing and thus preventing any longitudinal creeping of the tube.

A still further aim is to provide a device of the class set forth which is exceptionally simple and inexpensive, yet will be highly efficient and in every .way desirable.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of. a tube-holder and compressor with which, the

constructed m accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 Fig. 4. is a longi udinal sectional view showing a slightly dierent form of construction and illustrating one'manner of connecting an applicator with the tubular casing and the compressible tube. l l Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating a still further way of connecting the applicator with the casing and tube.

l the casing reduced. Thus,

Vsaid casing,

'charging the being of course detached at this time.

vdropping of t o by empty,

in and suitably 'as shown in dot-ted lines in the ball 15 and a used tube 11 are to be Serial No. 104,718.

In the form of construct-ion illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,V the numeral 6 designates an elongated cylindrical casing formed of any desired material suoli as sheet metal.

One end of'this casing may well be open l although it could have anappropriate removable cap if desired. The other en of the casing 6 isV formed with .a central opening 8, and this end 7 is preferably disy posed oblique to the axis ofthe casing, as shown. Adjacent the end 7, the casing 6- -is constricted as indicated at 9 `and this constricted portion is provided with an linwardly pressed circumferential part which forms an internal ridge 10. 1

A collapsible tube 11 is receivable in the casing 6 and a discharge neck 12 of this tube passes through the opening 8 so that the usual cap 13 is exposed to 13e-removed whenever contents are to be discharged. Before inserting the tube 11,- the end thereof adjacent the neck 12, is preferably rolled between the thumb and finger lso that its diameter 'is somewhat this reduce may readily pass upper end of the tube is later compressed somewhat and its. contents thus forced downwardly, this reduced lower endis again expanded so that it tightly engages the ridge -in the casing.

The casing 6 is formed with a longitudinalislct 1a and a freely movable ball 15 of any desired material, is provided within for .compressing the tube 11, a portion of said ball being exposed through the slot 14, so that with his thumb, the user may force the ball 15 inwardly and at the same time urge it toward the neck 12, thus effectively compressing the tube 11 and discontents thereof, the cap 13 rovided to prevent accidental e ball 15 ,from the casing 6 said guard being preferably in the form of a spring arm 16 within the cassecured to the wall of the latter, the outer end of this arm beinv provided with a shoulder- 17 which is adapted to snap over the open end of the lcasing Fig. 2, when A guard is Mere outward forcing of the ball 15 against the spring arm 16, forces e latter toward the wall of the -casing 6 and removed.

at the exterior ofv d end of the tube the ridge lObut when the cui causes its shoulder 17 to snap over the end of the casing, so that the arm will be held in this position while the ball and the old tube are being removed, while a new tube is being inserted, and while said ball is being replaced. Then, the shoulder 17 is manually disengaged from the casing 6 and the guard arm returned to the full line position of c provide the interior of the tube 6 with a plurality of longitudinally spaced shoulders 18 which are preferably formed by outwardly pressing portions of said casing throughout the circumference of the latter so as to stien said casing while forming the shoulders. lli/'hen the tube 11 is compressed by operation of the ball 15, of said tube are distorted into engagement with these shoulders, so 4that the latter hold the tube against any longitudinal compression or creeping. Thus, possiblelongitudinal collapse of the tube and inconvenience resulting therefrom, are obviated.

The construction shown in F ig. l is about the same as that so far described, with the exception that the constricted portion 9 is not quite as small, and the. ridge 10 is spaced a greater distance from the casing end. TQ. This is done in order that an adapter 19 may pass outwardly through the central opening 8 of the end 7al to carry an applicator 20. This applicatorhas a threaded engagement with the adapter 19 and contacts with the outer side of the end 7, and the inner end of said adapter is prof vided with a head 21 against the inner side of said end 7a. very rigid connection is thus established be 'tween the casing 6a, the tube 11a and the applicator 20, permitting rough usage without disarranging the parts. The applicalor E20, for purposes of illustration, is practically identical with that shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,572,514.- oi" Feb. 1G, 19:26.

"When the contents of the tube 11a are ein liausted, the applicator 20 is unthreaded trom the adapter 19, the compressing ball 151 is removed, and the tube 11a and adapter are bodily withdrawn as a single unit. This adapter is then detached from the old Atube and applied to a new one, and this new tube with the adapter are then down uni-diy inserted into the casing Ga. The applicator is then rcthreaded upon the adapter 19 and the device is in condition ior further use.

Tt a. less rugged connection can be satis- `lzurtorily usedbctween the casing and the applicator, for instance, when the collapsi- Jle tube merely contains library paste, the construction disclosed in Fig. 5 may be employed. This construction is practically identical with that shown in Fig. 4f, with the exception that the discharge neck of the collapsible tube llb passes through the cenwhich seats tightly portions tral opening 8b of the casing end 7", and the applicator 20" is threaded directly onto said discharge neck. i

Any form of the invention is simple and ineapensive, yet is eflicient, easy and convement to operate, and generally desirable.

The details disclosed are preferably followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

I claim:

1. In a tube holder and compressor, a. tubular casing adapted to contain a c0mpressible tube, said casing having a longitudinal slot, a tube-compressing ball within the casing having a portion exposed through said slot whereby the ball may be manually moved to compress the tube and dis# charge its contents, said casing having an open end through which said ball is insertible and removable, a guard for said open end carried by the casing and adapted to normally prevent movement of the ball from said casing, said guard being movable outwardly toward the casing by forcible engagement of the ball with the guard, and means for holding said guard in released position while removing the. ball, changing tubes and reinserting said ball.

2. ln a tube holder and compressor, an elongated tubular casing adapted to contain a compressible tube, said casing having a longitudinal slot, and a tube-compressing ball within the casing having a portion exposed through said slot whereby the ball may be manually moved to compress the tube and discharge its contents, said casing having an open end through which said ball is insertible and removable, a guard for said open end carried by the easing and adapted to`normally prevent movement of the ball from the casing, said guard being movable outwardly to released position by forcible engagement of the ball with the guard, said guard having a yieldable portion engageable with the casing and adapted to hold the guard in released position While the ball is being removed, tubes changed, and said ball reinserted.

3. ln a tube holding device, an elongated tubular casing having means at one end to encircle and embed itseli:l in the body of a collapsible tube at a point spaced inwardly from the neck of the tube and hold the tube in the casing when the former is forcibly expanded against said means.

4. Tn a tube holder and compressor, a tube-receiving casing having longitudinally movable means for compressing the tube against the wall of said casing, and a plurality of internal shoulders on said casing wall into engagement with which the tube is distorted by said compressing means.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4; said shoulders being formed by outwardly pressed circumferentiel portions of the tubular casing.

6. A tube holding and compressing device comprising :1n elongated tubular casing closed :it one end and having an opening in said cnil, an adapter passing through said opening and having a, threaded outer end, the inner end of said adapter being designed for engagement with'the outlet neck of a.

collapsible tube within the ing a head contacting with the inner side of snid closed end, and an applicator threade on the outer end of said adapter,I said applicator contacting with the outer side 0 said closed end.

In'testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

' EARL R. HAMILTON.

casing and hav- I0 

